1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image processing apparatuses and image processing methods by which images that are targets for printing output or the like are made selectable by a user.
2. Description of the Related Art
Along with increasing functionality in image processing apparatuses such as personal computers (PC) and digital televisions (DTV) in recent years, more and more image processing apparatuses are able to display composite images—those comprising a plurality of images.
Furthermore, methods are known (see Japanese Patent Application laid-open No. 2003-196283) by which a portion of an image being displayed by an image processing apparatus is selected by a user and printed or displayed on the image processing apparatus. According to a method disclosed in Japanese Patent Application laid-open No. 2003-196283, the user can easily and flexibly select a desired portion from a certain single image.
When the user instructs the image processing apparatus to output an image, it is conceivable that sometimes the user will want to output the entire composite image and sometimes the user will want to output one of a number of individual images that constitute the composite image.
However, Japanese Patent Application laid-open No. 2003-196283 gives no consideration to cases in which a single composite image is generated from a plurality of images. Consequently, Japanese Patent Application laid-open No. 2003-196283 gives no consideration to a user easily and flexibly selecting images to be output from a composite image.
It should be noted that “image output” is not limited to sending image data or the like to a specific apparatus. Specifically, this includes, for example, recording to a storage medium, printing using a printer, and transferring to an external apparatus.
The present invention has been devised in light of these circumstances and it is an feature therein to provide a technique that enables a user to easily and flexibly select images to be output from a composite image.